must have been the dismount

Had my dream again where I'm making love, and the Olympic judges are watching. I'd nailed the compulsories, so this is it, the finals. I got a 9.8 from the Canadians, a perfect 10 from the Americans, and my mother, disguised as an East German judge, gave me a 5.6. Must have been the dismount.

Billy Crystal as Harry in “When Harry Met Sally”

The Japanese beetles are at it. Some of them are working on synchronized eating…

And LIFT the right hind leg…

…while others are engaged in more elaborate pursuits. I found myself watching two pairs of amorous beetles located just a few inches from each other on the same plant. One couple was right-side up.


The other was upside down.

Both were busy, busy, busy.

The right-side up couple got adventurous. The male started to lift off from the female…who, by the way, looks like she could care less – it appears she’s having a snack:


up, up, and away…


Until he toppled over.


He’s still hanging on with his front legs, though.


Also on the day’s adventure, I found this beautiful Syrphid fly just landing on the petal of a black-eyed susan:


Oh, to be able to scratch your back with your leg…must be convenient.


He took off and immediate landed on the stem.

A jaunty little spaceman wearing his jaunty little spaceman helmet!


So freakin’ beautiful.